U.S. patent number 6,736,874 [Application Number 10/305,388] was granted by the patent office on 2004-05-18 for filter device with clamping wedge.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Filterwerk Mann & Hummel GmbH. Invention is credited to Matthias Amann, Mario Rieger.
United States Patent |
6,736,874 |
Rieger , et al. |
May 18, 2004 |
Filter device with clamping wedge
Abstract
A filter device, especially for filtering the intake air of an
internal combustion engine, which includes a housing with an
unfiltered air inlet and a clean air outlet, and a substantially
cylindrical, replaceable filter insert disposed in the housing,
which separates an unfiltered air zone within the housing from a
clean air zone. An axial seal is provided on at least one end disk
of the cylindrical filter insert, which seal interacts with a
sealing surface on the housing to seal the unfiltered air zone from
the clean air zone. A clamping wedge is also provided, which exerts
a force on the filter insert to urge the axial seal reliably
against the sealing surface of the filter housing.
Inventors: |
Rieger; Mario (Freiberg,
DE), Amann; Matthias (Remseck, DE) |
Assignee: |
Filterwerk Mann & Hummel
GmbH (Ludwigsburg, DE)
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Family
ID: |
7643863 |
Appl.
No.: |
10/305,388 |
Filed: |
November 27, 2002 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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PCTEP0105386 |
May 11, 2001 |
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Foreign Application Priority Data
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May 29, 2000 [DE] |
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100 26 437 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
55/480; 55/385.3;
55/498; 55/502; 55/503; 55/510; 55/521; 55/528 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B01D
46/2414 (20130101); B01D 46/521 (20130101); F02M
35/024 (20130101); B01D 2271/022 (20130101); B01D
2275/201 (20130101); B01D 2279/60 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B01D
46/24 (20060101); B01D 46/52 (20060101); F02M
35/02 (20060101); F02M 35/024 (20060101); B01D
046/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;55/385.3,480,498,502,503,510,522,528,521 ;123/198E |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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3911153 |
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Apr 1989 |
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DE |
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4031014 |
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Oct 1990 |
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DE |
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Primary Examiner: Smith; Duane
Assistant Examiner: Greene; Jason M.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Crowell & Moring LLP
Parent Case Text
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation of international patent
application no. PCT/EP01/05386, filed May 11, 2001, designating the
United States of America and published in German as WO 01/91884,
the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Priority is claimed based on Federal Republic of Germany patent
application no. DE 100 26 437,9, filed May 29, 2000.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A filter device comprising a housing with an unfiltered air
inlet and a clean air outlet, and a substantially cylindrical,
replaceable filter element arranged in the housing, said filter
element separating an unfiltered air zone of the housing from a
clean air zone, wherein at least one axial end face of the
substantially cylindrical filter element is provided with an axial
seal element which interacts with a sealing surface of the housing
to form a seal between the unfiltered air zone and the clean air
zone; said filter device further comprising a clamping wedge which
applies a force to the filter element to urge the axial seal
element reliably against the sealing surface of the housing,
wherein the axial end faces of said filter element are formed by
thermoplastic end disks, wherein an end disk of the filter element
is provided with at least one bracket along which the clamping
wedge slides, and wherein the clamping wedge is supported against a
support fixed to the housing or against the sealing surface of the
housing.
2. A filter device according to claim 1, wherein the clamping wedge
is mounted on a cover for the housing and urges the sealing element
against the sealing surface of the housing when the cover is
closed.
3. A filter device comprising a housing with an unfiltered air
inlet and a clean air outlet, and a substantially cylindrical,
replaceable filter element arranged in the housing, said filter
element separating an unfiltered air zone of the housing from a
clean air zone, wherein at least one axial end face of the
substantially cylindrical filter element is provided with an axial
seal element which interacts with a sealing surface of the housing
to form a seal between the unfiltered air zone and the clean air
zone; said filter device further comprising a clamping wedge which
applies a force to the filter element to urge the axial seal
element reliably against the sealing surface of the housing, the
filter device further comprising an axial guide at the opposite
axial end face of said filter element from said seal element for
axially guiding the filter element relative to the filter housing,
wherein said axial guide comprises an axial projection on said
filter element and a socket on said housing for receiving said
axial projection.
4. A filter device according to claim 1, wherein the filter element
is made of an annulus of a self-supporting, zigzag-folded filter
medium provided at axial end faces thereof with thermoplastic end
disks, and said axial seal element comprises a polyurethane foam
seal affixed to an end disk of the filter element proximate the
clean air outlet of the filter housing.
5. A filter element for use in a filter device according to claim
4, wherein the filter medium is a filter paper or a non-woven
filter web.
6. A filter device according to claim 1, wherein said filter device
is an air filter for intake air of an automotive internal
combustion engine.
7. A filter element for use in a filter device comprising a housing
with an unfiltered air inlet and a clean air outlet, and a
substantially cylindrical, replaceable filter element arranged in
the housing, said filter element separating an unfiltered air zone
of the housing from a clean air zone, wherein at least one axial
end face of the substantially cylindrical filter element is
provided with an axial seal element which interacts with a sealing
surface of the housing to form a seal between the unfiltered air
zone and the clean air zone; said filter device further comprising
a clamping wedge which applies a force to the filter element to
urge the axial seal element reliably against the sealing surface of
the housing, the filter element comprising an annulus of
self-supporting, zigzag-folded filter paper or nonwoven filter
material provided at axial end faces thereof with thermoplastic end
disks, wherein at least one end disk is provided with at least one
bracket for engaging a clamping wedge for urging the filter element
in an axial direction.
8. A filter element according to claim 7, wherein an axial end face
of said filter element is provided with an axial seal element for
engaging a sealing surface of a housing to form a seal between an
unfiltered air zone and a clean air zone.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a filter device, particularly for
filtering the intake air of an internal combustion engine,
comprising a housing with an unfiltered air inlet and a clean air
outlet, and a substantially cylindrical, replaceable filter insert
disposed in the housing such that the filter insert separates the
unfiltered air zone of the housing from the clean air zone. The
filter insert has at least one end disk provided with an axial seal
which interacts with a sealing surface of the housing to form a
seal between the unfiltered air zone and the clean air zone.
This type of filter device is known in the art. Typically, the
filter element is fastened in the filter device by a clamping bolt,
for which fastening elements are provided on the housing. In these
known filter elements, it is also possible to fix the filter
element in the housing with a cover which is placed on the housing
in the axial direction. If the substantially cylindrical filter
element must be installed or removed under conditions where space
is limited, pulling off or pulling up in axial direction may not be
feasible. In these cases, the filter element must be lifted out of
the housing, i.e., the housing is sealed with a lid that covers a
portion of the lateral surface. After the cover has been opened,
the filter element can be lifted out of the housing and a new
filter element can be inserted.
One problem with this housing configuration is that axial
displacement of the filter element is required to seal the
unfiltered air side of the filter from the filtered air side. In
prior art filter devices, this axial displacement has required
special screwed connections or bayonet catches or special holding
fixtures for the filter element.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a filter
device in which the filter element can easily be installed and
removed under limited space conditions.
A further object of the invention is to provide a filter device
which assures a simple, yet reliable seal between the unfiltered
zone and the filtered air zone.
These and other objects are achieved in accordance with the present
invention by providing a filter device comprising a housing with an
unfiltered air inlet and a clean air outlet, and a substantially
cylindrical, replaceable filter element arranged in the housing,
said filter element separating an unfiltered air zone of the
housing from a clean air zone, wherein at least one axial end face
of the substantially cylindrical filter element is provided with an
axial seal element which interacts with a sealing surface of the
housing to form a seal between the unfiltered air zone and the
clean air zone; said filter device further comprising a clamping
wedge which applies a force to the filter element to urge the axial
seal element reliably against the sealing surface of the
housing.
In accordance with a further aspect of the invention, the object
are achieved by providing a filter element for use in a filter
device as described above, comprising an annulus of
self-supporting, zigzag-folded filter paper or nonwoven filter
material provided at axial end faces thereof with thermoplastic end
disks, wherein at least one end disk is provided with at least one
bracket or projection for engaging a clamping wedge for urging the
filter element in an axial direction.
An important feature of the invention is that a clamping wedge is
provided, the force of which is applied in such a way that the
axial seal of the cylindrical filter element reliably fits against
the sealing surface, which is a fixed part of the housing.
According to one embodiment of the invention, this clamping wedge
is arranged on the cover. Closing the cover causes the filter
element to be urged against the sealing surface, thus sealing the
filter element. Opening the cover causes the filter element to be
loosened, so that it is easy to remove.
Another embodiment of the invention provides that the clamping
wedge can be inserted into a bracket of the filter element. To
support the clamping wedge, a support surface or an additional
element that is a fixed part of the housing is provided. The
clamping wedge is at least partially wedge-shaped so that the force
is readily transmitted when the cover is closed or the clamping
wedge is inserted.
Another embodiment of the invention provides for an axial guide on
the side of the filter element opposite the sealing surface, i.e.,
the filter element on this side is supported against the housing
and is fixed so as to allow for axial tolerances.
One advantage of supporting the filter element in this manner is
that the filter medium does not need to absorb any axial clamping
forces. In addition, the filter housing itself can be made thinner
since it is not tied into the force flux.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the filter element is
comprised of a zigzag-folded filter paper or nonwoven filter
material, which has a very high dust collection capacity paired
with low flow resistance. The end disks of this filter element are
made of a thermoplastic material. The filter element can thus be
easily disposed of by incineration.
These and other features of preferred embodiments of the invention,
in addition to being set forth in the claims, are also disclosed in
the specification and/or the drawings, and the individual features
each may be implemented in embodiments of the invention either
alone or in the form of subcombinations of two or more features and
can be applied to other fields of use and may constitute
advantageous, separately protectable constructions for which
protection is also claimed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will be described in further detail hereinafter with
reference to illustrative preferred embodiments shown in the
accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a detail of the filter
device of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a filter element according to
the present invention, and
FIG. 3 is a top view of the filter element shown in FIG. 2.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The schematic representation depicted in FIG. 1 shows a detail of a
filter housing 10 and a housing cover 11. A filter element 12 is
arranged inside the filter housing. This filter element is
comprised of a zigzag-folded filter medium with an end disk 13. A
sealing ring 14 is bonded or welded to end face 13. This sealing
ring fits against a sealing surface 15 of filter housing 10. The
sealing surface encloses the filtered air outlet (not shown). The
end face is provided with a bracket type projection 16. A clamping
wedge 18 is inserted between this bracket-type projection 16 and a
support 17. This clamping wedge 18 is fixed to the housing cover
and applies an axial force to filter element 12 such that a proper
sealing effect is obtained between sealing ring 14 and sealing
surface 15.
FIG. 2 shows the entire structure of a filter device in a
cross-sectional view (corresponding parts are identified by the
same reference numerals). The unfiltered air inlet 19 is visible on
the right hand side and the filtered air outlet 20 on the left hand
side of the figure. The filter housing 10 is equipped with a filter
element 12, which is provided with an end disk 21 at its right hand
end. This end disk has a guide projection 22. The guide projection
engages with a guide cylinder 23, which is fixed to the housing.
This support enables radial displacement and good compensation of
tolerances if the filter elements differ in length. The filter
element is equipped with a second end disk 13 on the left hand
side. This second end disk is provided with a projection 16 that
extends across a filtered air connection 24 and ensures axial
guidance of the filter element. Sealing ring 14 in this embodiment
is made of polyurethane resin foam and is foamed onto the end disk
13. A support ring 17 is located on the housing. Between support 17
and projection 16, a clamping wedge 18 is inserted. This clamping
wedge 18 pulls the entire filter element toward the left against
the filtered air outlet connection 24 and thus establishes a
reliable seal between the filtered air zone and the unfiltered air
zone by urging seal ring 14 against the sealing surface at the neck
of the filtered air outlet 24.
FIG. 3 is a top view of clamping wedge 18, which is rigidly
connected with housing cover 11. Projections 16a, 16b on the end
disk 13 of the filter element partially surround or enclose the
clamping wedge 18. Clamping wedge 18 is supported against supports
17a, 17b, such that the clamping forces for the end disks of the
filter element can be applied over a predefined area. When housing
cover 11 is removed, clamping wedge 18 is also pulled out. The
filter element then can be readily removed from the filter housing
and replaced with a new filter element.
The foregoing description and examples have been set forth merely
to illustrate the invention and are not intended to be limiting.
Since modifications of the disclosed embodiments incorporating the
spirit and substance of the invention may occur to persons skilled
in the art, the invention should be construed broadly to include
all variations falling within the scope of the appended claims and
equivalents thereof.
* * * * *